Answered

Alexa-Sonos

  • 3 February 2017
  • 33 replies
  • 2827 views

Badge
When is The Think With alaxa and sonos comes out?
icon

Best answer by Ryan S 3 February 2017, 21:57

View original

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

33 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +21
When it's ready I hope 😉
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
Ask Alexa
Userlevel 3
Badge +6
Tried that, was told to ask Siri, who directed me to Cortana, which assured me Google Now had the answer.
Google now told me it had passed the answer to Alexa :?

The machines have truly taken over.... as least, according to Siri
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
Glad you're excited for the update. Progress is going great but we're not ready to release a timeline to the world yet. It'll be out this year though. We'll make sure to let everyone know as soon as we can share more.
Looks like Sonos has demo'd it, but still lacks polish.

https://www.slashgear.com/sonos-has-alexa-control-working-but-dont-hold-your-breath-09474539/
Thanks for the link.
I asked the questions elsewhere, but this may be a better thread.

Does Echo today offer the same multi room feature that Sonos does?

What do Echo users that have the IP address conflict kind of issues that we see here, go for solutions? Does Amazon do this support well?

Does Echo have a solution like Sonos offers via a NAS for ripped CDs?

And does Echo offer good non voice based control as well?

To the Ryan post, I'd think that whether progress can be said to be going great depends on how fast Amazon is moving in this space.
From another thread here, a link:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/amazon-to-release-echo-speaker-with-7-inch-display-in-2017-report/

Given the effect that just the Echo had on play 1 unit sales, this looks like something that Sonos ought to be losing sleep over. I suspect that Amazon is moving a lot faster than Sonos.

I can't help repeating here : Amazon doesn't seem to give a damn about Hi Res:-).
Badge +1
Amazon is and will never compete with sonos. They are running a difference race.

Once Alexa is integrated, it will add a lot of value as another interface. Simple things like "next song" etc will be huge and used often, IMO
Chromecast Audio does a lot of these things, but it suffers from a clunky interface. Between the two, Sonos needs to heed the call to move a tad faster! It may be a different race, but if people change race tracks, it is still a problem.
Badge +1
I think linking up with amazon is a good move. Kumar do you have a dot or echo?
I asked the questions elsewhere, but this may be a better thread.

Does Echo today offer the same multi room feature that Sonos does?.


Not yet but there are credible rumors that this is coming.

What do Echo users that have the IP address conflict kind of issues that we see here, go for solutions? Does Amazon do this support well?.

Interestingly I have never had an IP conflict with an Echo. That said, I always go into my router and reserve addresses for both Sonos and Echo but sometimes I don't do new Echo devices right away and still never had an issue.

Does Echo have a solution like Sonos offers via a NAS for ripped CDs?
So far Amazon just wants you to upload your local library to Amazon. I wouldn't be surprised if a local library solution is released sometime in 2017.

And does Echo offer good non voice based control as well?.
Spent some time today playing songs on my Echos using the Alexa App. I had no complaints with this interface.
No, I don't. It does not do much in India at this time and voice control by itself is no reason to lose the much more valuable Sonos features with reference to music play as of now.
@upstatemike: thank you for those updates. It seems like 2017 as you have said, and maybe 2018 will be critical years for Sonos. Amazon may not see Sonos as a direct competitor, but Sonos may still get side swiped if they don't watch out.
I think India is going to be a major market for Amazon and I wouldn't worry too much if deployment lags a little bit... that is just logistics. I think anything you see in the US in 2017 will be available in India by 2018. I don't think Amazon is actually looking to challenge Sonos but they operate on a much faster development cycle so there may be a perception that they are applying pressure as they release new products at a much more rapid pace. I suggest you get a dot as soon as they are available and start playing with it to get used to the interface.
@upstatemike: thank you for those updates. It seems like 2017 as you have said, and maybe 2018 will be critical years for Sonos. Amazon may not see Sonos as a direct competitor, but Sonos may still get side swiped if they don't watch out.

I follow Echo news pretty close, and aside from the maybe photoshopped picture of the Echo grouping screen, I've not heard one thing about the items upstatemike speculates. Not one. Nothing about syncing, nothing about local libraries. As you see from other threads, mike tends to state facts for which the evidence ranges from slim to none.

Also, there is nothing about Echo which makes it any more immune to IP conflicts than any other device.
@upstatemike: I could have someone get me a dot today to play with it, but it won't work here unless I have a US address in the manner it takes for that to work even at its simplest. Hopefully, when Sonos releases whatever it does for Alexa, this will not be an issue since Sonos works just fine here although the only streaming service available is Apple Music.
I see that Amazon is investing big in India of course, and many logistics things will get sorted, but right now Echo would be a brick. For instance I have a subscription to Amazon Prime here for better shopping and for video, but music is still not part of the service.
@jgatie: understood!


I follow Echo news pretty close, and aside from the maybe photoshopped picture of the Echo grouping screen, I've not heard one thing about the items upstatemike speculates. Not one. Nothing about syncing, nothing about local libraries. As you see from other threads, mike tends to state facts for which the evidence ranges from slim to none.

Also, there is nothing about Echo which makes it any more immune to IP conflicts than any other device.


I acknowledged earlier that the syncing image could be a hoax but that it matched previous images that previewed the "computer" wake up word which turned out to be accurate.

I said that currently Amazon requires you to upload your local library. I said I would not be surprised if a local library solution was released in 2017, I did NOT say I had seen anything to suggest this will happen.

I do generally provide my source for anything I speculate about but if I don't you can request it.. as occurred in another thread which was reposted in this thread (see above).

I did not say there was anything about Echo that makes it more immune to IP conflicts than any other device. I just noted that I had never had an IP conflict issue with Echo devices (I don't know why) and that I generally reserve IP addresses in my router so it eventually is not an issue (depending on how quickly I get around to updating the router after I add new devices... and I add new devices pretty often.)

I try to clearly distinguish facts from speculation but that only works if you read my entire posts.
Badge +1
amazon doesn't give a rip about home audio, they are looking to beat google to the next (and perhaps final) OS, voice. Alexa/echo is and never will compete with sonos. Sonos is a great and massive business but compared to amazons aspirations it is minuscule.

Sonos is shacking up with Alexa bc this is the future of control, and it will help drive sales and protect their technology advantages over competition.

I have two echos and will buy a few dots once they integrate with sonos.
@upstatemike: I could have someone get me a dot today to play with it, but it won't work here unless I have a US address in the manner it takes for that to work even at its simplest. Hopefully, when Sonos releases whatever it does for Alexa, this will not be an issue since Sonos works just fine here although the only streaming service available is Apple Music.
I see that Amazon is investing big in India of course, and many logistics things will get sorted, but right now Echo would be a brick. For instance I have a subscription to Amazon Prime here for better shopping and for video, but music is still not part of the service.
@jgatie: understood!


I appreciate that it is frustrating that the Alexa features currently available in the US are not yet implemented in India but look at it this way.. we are the beta testers and by the time you get it, it will be a truly mature version. I think you can watch US progress and use it as a planning tool for what will be available to you shortly. And as you point out, Sonos is currently working well for you so there is no urgency to change anything.
amazon doesn't give a rip about home audio, they are looking to beat google to the next (and perhaps final) OS, voice. Alexa/echo is and never will compete with sonos. Sonos is a great and massive business but compared to amazons aspirations it is minuscule.

Sonos is shacking up with Alexa bc this is the future of control, and it will help drive sales and protect their technology advantages over competition.

I have two echos and will buy a few dots once they integrate with sonos.


I agree, Amazon is focused on staying ahead of Google, not competing with Sonos. From an Amazon perspective Sonos integration is a "nice to have", not a critical strategy. Not sure if Sonos views the relationship the same way.
we are the beta testers and by the time you get it, it will be a truly mature version.
Lol; I am quite happy with that state of affairs. I have withdrawn from the public beta here because I can't be bothered with the frequent updates that entails!

Lol; I am quite happy with that state of affairs. I have withdrawn from the public beta here because I can't be bothered with the frequent updates that entails!


I'm with you... I can't see any upside in participating in a beta. In fact I won't even upgrade to the latest production version until it has been out a few weeks and I see there are no major concerns (which hasn't been the case since about 6.2.1)

I try to clearly distinguish facts from speculation but that only works if you read my entire posts.


No you don't. You only admit speculation when called on it. See the Control4 complaints you post for proof.
Userlevel 1
Badge +1
Glad you're excited for the update. Progress is going great but we're not ready to release a timeline to the world yet. It'll be out this year though. We'll make sure to let everyone know as soon as we can share more.

Sorry the original press release said 'early 2017' which is why i went ahead and spent £2000 on a set of speakers at Christmas. As its basically nearly mid 2017 is this now not the case?

Thanks

Scott Readman